AKIPRESS.COM - Mongolia’s president has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for more trade between their countries, saying an economic downturn has threatened to destabilize the young Asian democracy.

Mongolia’s role as an “oasis of democracy” in a region where authoritarianism in on the rise “does not contribute to economic development”, Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga said in a letter to Trump dated March 12 and published on his website, Reuters reported.

Battulga said prosperity was coming too slowly. “Ordinary Mongolian citizens have become discouraged by democracy and have begun to doubt our choice,” he said.

Trade with the United States was less than 2 percent of its total last year, and a U.S. decision to allow imports of Mongolian clothing would help ensure economic stability, Battulga said.

He also called for easier visa conditions for Mongolian citizens. Battulga told Trump that U.S. trade and investment could help prevent Mongolia from moving in a more authoritarian direction.

“I am confident that supporting Mongolia’s economic security will play a prominent role in your country’s foreign policy,” he wrote.